Betty J. Theobald, 88, passed away on April 16, 2023, in Springfield, MO. She was born on September 22, 1934, in Letts, IA, daughter of Albert & Helen Staats Foster.
Visitation will take place from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home. Celebration of Life will be held on Thursday, April 27, 2023, at 12:30 p.m. at the American Legion. Online condolences: www.wittichfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be made to the family or K-9 Kindness, where she adopted Hunter.
She married Carl Theobald on October 7, 1950, in Muscatine, IA, he preceded her in death on October 31, 2015.
She had been employed as a clerk, and a school kitchen cook at both McKinley and West Junior High, conveniently, was able to keep an eye on her children in the lunchroom. Betty was a wonderful cook (especially wild game and fish), homemaker, wife, and mother. She had been called “Little Mother” because she was the oldest child and helped raise her eight siblings. Betty enjoyed sewing, cooking, camping, and traveling out west.
Betty is survived by her children, Michael (Leanne), Carla Smith (Mark Diercks), Jim (Paulette), John (Teresa) and daughter in law Mary Theobald; grandchildren, Jason Theobald (Kim), Jay Smith, Travis Theobald (Diana), Marcie Walsh (Patrick), Andrew Theobald (Janelle), Geoffrey Theobald (Valerie), and Jane Swanson (Matthew); great grandchildren, Kassie Theobald, Hyde, Hudson & Hendrix Theobald, Maya and Zoe Theobald, Rylie, Olivia, and Brayden Theobald, and Emma Theobald; siblings, Loretta Brady (Gilbert), and Cheryl Austin, and special friend and companion, Jim West.
Betty is preceded in death by her parents, husband, son Steve, son-in-law Bill Smith, siblings Dean Foster, Harry Foster, Bill Cozad, Dorothy Simons, Phyllis Simons, and Marge Garvin, and special doggie, “Hunter”.
